1889.] A. Aloook— List of Pleuronectidfe from tie Bay of Bengal. 291 



is a sharp median pre-anal spine. Left pectoral the more developed, 

 consisting of 8 rays while the right has but six. The left ventral ori- 

 ginates in front of the right and is more expanded : both have 6 rays. 

 The caudal has 1 7 rays, and is 5| in the total length. Colours in spirit. 

 Olive brown, with numerous small but complete dark rings, a series of 

 which form a ring round the body just inside the vertical fins. Two 

 conspicuous dark ocelli along the straight part of the lateral line, and 

 another on the posterior limb of the curved part. 

 Fins speckled with black. 



Total length inches. Taken in 34 fathoms off the E. coast of 

 Ceylon. 



25. Samaris CEisTATtrs, Gray, PI. XVII, Fig. 4. 

 Giiuther, Cat. iv, 420. 

 D. 80. A. 53. L. lat. 75. 

 Height of body nearly 2| in the total, without caudal. Length of 

 head nearly 4| in the total without the caudal ; its height being much 

 greater. Length of snout about half the length of the eye ; lower jaw 

 slightly prominent. Byes large, their length 2| in the head lengtli ; 

 the lower barely in advance ; separated from each other by a prominent 

 sharp ridge. Pupil with a semilunar flap from the iris above and below. 

 On the coloured side a long tubular nostril overhangs the upper lip, 

 in front of a simple perforated nostril. Mouth small ; its cleft oblique : 

 maxilla one-third the length of the head. Teeth villiform ; in several 

 bands in both jaws. Gill-cleft wide. Scales very small, ctenoid on the 

 coloured, cycloid on the blind side. The dorsal fin commences on the 

 snout, its first ray being connected with a flap of coloured skin which 

 passes obliquely across the snout, behind the mouth, on the blind side. 

 The first thirteen rays are elongated, so that, when laid back, they reach 

 in two specimens to the 67th ray, and in one beyond the base of the 

 caudal. These rays are broad and stout. The remaining dorsal rays 

 are slender, tliose in the posterior fourth being longer than the rest 

 and equal to half the height of the body. The longest anal rays are 

 equal to, and opposite those. The right pectoral, which consists of four 

 stout rays, is elongate, and equal to the greatest height of the head : 

 it is set on very obliquely. There is no pectoral fin on the left side. 

 Ventrala with 5 rays, those of the right fin elongate, and spatulate at 

 their free ends ; the first ray being of nearly equal length with the pec- 

 toral. Left ventral well developed, but not prolonged. Caudal with 16 

 rays, inclined slightly downwards ; its length is about one-fifth of the 

 total. Sepia-colourcd, in spirit, beautifully mottled with purple-brown 

 and black, in a sinuous ring round the whole side : outside this the 



